A Tale of Three Brothers
by That Elusive Reader
Summary: Lily's friends hate James's friends, so when they get together to surprise, what will happen to Hogwarts? Will anyone die? Will people get together? Will people laugh? WHAT WILL HAPPEN!


**A/N: Hello people who are probably not going to read this! This is my first story on this cite. Yea... This is set in their seventh year at Hogwarts (Lily and James are the Heads). Lily's group of friends and James's group of friends don't like each other (as they are both pranksters) but they put this together as a treat for the school. And as a bit of Holiday cheer. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer****: I do not own anyone or anything that you recognize, I don't know who exactly owns it, but I know I don't. The Tale of Three Brothers is also a creation of J. K. Roling's. **

"Welcome!" called Dumbledore.

"I really think we should tell Dumbledore so he knows," muttered Lina.

"Good plan," said Lily as she got up and walked down the aisle towards the Head table. When James saw she was walking up he ran after her, and when he caught up, matched her stride.

When they reached Dumbledore he said quietly to them, "What is it?"

"We have a surprise that we would like to do tonight, sorry that we didn't tell you," said Lily hurriedly.

"When can we...?"

"How long?" asked Dumbledore.

"A bit," answered James.

"Well then, surprise away," Dumbledore smiled.

Lily and James nodded, but then James said, "Professor, we'd like to surprise the whole school, so could you not mention it?" Dumbledore nodded and smiled. Lily and James returned to their seats.

"As I was saying, Welcome to Halloween!" Dumbledore continued. Lily nodded to him and Emma.

Suddenly all of the candles went out, throwing the Great Hall into complete darkness except one candle, the one Remus Lupin was holding. He stood up on the bench.

"There once were three brothers," Remus began, not looking at the book in his hand, as he had already memorized it all. Three other candles were lit, on the platform of the teachers. "who were traveling along a lonely, winding road at twilight." He turned his head to face the front of the hall where the three candles were growing in number until it looked like there was a sun behind the three figures. They began to walk.

"In time, the brothers reached a river too deep to wade through and too dangerous to swim across." At his words a rushing river of water flowed down through the hall from its starting point on the stage. "However, these brothers were learned in the magical arts, and so they simply waved their wands and made a bridge appear across the treacherous water." At this the three figures rose their wand arms and made a bridge of reeds across the river. "They were halfway across it when they found their path blocked by a hooded figure."

At this a tall figure stood in front of the three brothers, it's red eyes glanced at the captivated audience.

"And Death spoke to them. He was angry that he had been cheated out of three new victims, for travelers usually drowned in the river. But Death was cunning. He pretended to congratulate the three brothers upon their magic, and said that each had earned a prize for having been clever enough to evade him," Remus continued.

"So the older brother, who was a combative man, asked for a wand more powerful than any in existence: a wand that must always win duels for its owner, a wand worthy of a wizard who had conquered Death! So Death crossed to an elder tree on the banks of the river," The tall figure walked a bit away from the three brothers and a tree grew and Death plucked a twig from the tree, " fashioned a wand from a branch that hung there, and gave it to the oldest brother." At this the first figure took the twig and stared in wonder at the twig Death had given him.

"Then the second brother, who was an arrogant man, decided that he wanted to humiliate Death still farther, and asked for the power to recall others from Death. So Death picked up a stone from the river bank," The tallest figure bent down and picked up a stone, "and gave it to the second brother, and told him that the stone would have the power to bring back the dead." The second brother held the stone to his heart and joined the first brother waiting for the third.

"And then Death asked the third and youngest brother what he would like. The youngest brother was the humblest and also the wisest of the brothers, and he did not trust Death. So he asked for something that would enable him to go forth from that place without being followed by Death." The tallest figure drew something out from its pocket and gave it to the third brother. "And Death, most unwillingly, handed over his own Cloak of Invisibility."

"Then Death stood aside and allowed the three brothers to continue on their way," The tallest figure stepped to the side and bowed, letting them pass on their way, "and they did so, talking with wonder of the adventure they had had, and admiring Death's gifts.

"In due course the brothers separated, each for his own destination." The three original figures separated two of the three figures froze, but the first continued until he reached a set of an inn.

"The first brother traveled on for a week or more, and reaching a distant village, sought out a fellow wizard with whom he had a quarrel." At this the brother and the enemy began fighting. "Naturally, with the elder wand as his weapon, he could not fail to win the duel that followed. Leaving his enemy dead upon the floor, the oldest brother proceed to an inn, where he boasted loudly of the powerful wand he had snatched from Death himself, and of how it made him invincible." The first brother began to wave his arms around to all who could see. He drank and then moved to the bed and fell asleep.

"That very night, another wizard crept upon the oldest brother as he lay, wine-sodden, upon his bed. The thief took the wand and, for good measure, slit the oldest brother's throat." A figure came up and stabbed the first brother in the throat and ran off with the wand. Death appeared behind the brother and put his cloak around the bed.

"And so Death took the first brother for his own.

"Meanwhile, the second brother journeyed to his own home, where he lived alone." Here the second brother unfroze and went over to an armchair and sat down. "Here he took out the stone that had the power to recall the dead, and turned it thrice in his hand. To his amazement and his delight, the figure of the girl he had once hoped to marry, before her untimely death, appeared at once before him." At this a girl in a white dress came running down the aisle to the second brother and flew into his arms.

"Yet she was sad and cold, separated from him as by a veil. Though she had returned to the mortal world, she did not truly belong there and suffered. Finally the second brother, driven mad with hopeless longing, killed himself so as truly to join her." At this the second brother pushed away the girl and raised a knife and stabbed his heart and fell upon the floor, dead. The girl silently slipped into the shadows and vanished.

"And so Death took the second brother for his own." Death appeared again, and spread his cloak over the second brother.

"But Death searched for the third brother for many years, he was never able to find him." At this Death rose into the air and began floating down the tables, looking for the third one. "It was only when he had attained a great age that the youngest brother finally took off the Cloak of Invisibility and gave it to his son." Two figures appeared on the stage, one taller, one shorter. The taller one passed something to the shorter one and turned to Death who had come back to the front of the stage. "And then he greeted Death as an old friend, and went with him gladly, and, equals, they departed this life." Death and the third brother rose up to the ceiling and disappeared.

Remus waved his wand and the candles all relit themselves. He walked calmly up to the stage and said, "Sonorous. Thank you Hogwarts for you kind cooperation." The students cheered. Seven people came up behind him. "May I introduce you to our cast. Ms. Ruby as Antioch, the first brother!" Jen bowed to all of the clapping, smiled and waved. "Mr. Padfoot as Cadmus, the second brother!" Sirius nodded, making all the girls scream in the audience. "Mr. Prongs as Ignotus, the third brother!" James laughed and bowed. "Mr. Wormtail as the Killer of Antioch!" Peter bowed clumsily. "Ms. Amber as the Lover of Cadmus!" Emma smiled slightly than said something to Remus. "And the person Antioch killed!" Emma bowed. "Ms. Smoke, the daughter of Ignotus!" Lina bowed. "I am Remus who read the book." He bowed and when the cheering had lessened he spoke again. "And let us not forget, that lovely lady, Ms. Blackie, who play Death!" Lily smiled and waved before snapping her fingers and the candles went out. When they came back on the eight actors had vanished off the stage and were in their seats, dressed in robes again.

Dumbledore stood up smiling. "Thank you. Thank you. I always loved that story as a boy. Now, tuck in!"

The meal was filled with talk of the play.

**A/N: Thank you for reading. If you did read. Now I will sound like one of those authors who begs their readers for reviews. So please review, I can only make it better if you help me. This is going to just be a one-shot, so don't, please, go asking for more (Even though this is an exert from the origonal story that I'm writing). **

**The code names of Lily's friends are associated with their Animagius (I spelled that wrong didn't I?). If you can guess what they are, toodles to you! I like that word, toodles. Anyway, please REVIEW! Goodbye!**


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